If you are in or represent any of the bands discussed in Harsh Distractions and would like your music removed, please contact me at HarshDistractions@gmail.com and I will remove the post. I'm simply trying to turn people on to records they may not have heard, not end up in a legal battle.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Whirl are a fantastic new Shoegaze/Dream Pop band from Northern California. I don't know much about them at all, but in the few days I've had this demo, I've listened to it no less than 30 times. As a long time fan of this genre, one of my biggest issues is with some of the recordings. Too often, bands go for a slick, overproduced sound that takes the warmth away from the songs. Two prime examples of this are Slowdive's Just for a Day and the Cocteau Twins' Heaven or Las Vegas. Both have incredible songs, but the production is so bright and full treble I'd rather listen to something else.

Thankfully, Whirl avoids this pitfall by having a warm and inviting recording, perfect for listening to through headphones. There is a sound permeating through the demo that sounds like tape hiss, but rather than being a nuisance, it adds an extra element of texture to the songs as it kind of clips in and out. The first track entitled "Leave" is a beautiful and distant yet blown out wall of sound that definitely takes some cues from Loveless. The haunting indecipherable male/female harmonies bring it together and sound so gorgeous I wish the song was 3 hours long. There are days where I can listen to songs on repeat, and I could spend the rest of this grey Chicago afternoon listening to this track over and over again. "Meaningless" is a bit more of an up-tempo rock song carried by a driving riff and the layered male/female vocals that show the other side of Whirl. With this demo only being two tracks, I'm left wanting more and I'm anxious to hear what else they will bring to the table in the future. If you like shoegaze/dream pop or trust my opinion, give this demo a listen. You won't regret it.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Turn Cold was a fairly short lived hardcore band from Brighton, UK that released a demo and a 7" and cd EP on Courage to Care. They played fast, dark hardcore that took more than a few cues from early 2000's Boston hardcore, especially in the imagery and lyrics. As a fan of those bands, Turn Cold always resonated with me, so I was kinda bummed when they called it a day. Singer Nick Worthington now sings for Bridge 9 band Dead Swans who kind of picked up where Turn Cold left off, only heavier and more "pro" sounding.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Goodrich from Iron Rain came in to chat and play some songs from their upcoming 7" into some other songs under the theme of The Fest. Sadly, the first hour was cut off due to a technical problem, but here is the second hour of the show.

My friend Dan came on the show early in December and proposed the theme of "Ignorance" to me. I never thought I'd end up playing Fury of V on my show, but there I was, listening to "Takin' Respect." I guess there is a first time for everything. Download the episode below.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Prior to the release of their self-titled LP The Saturday People released a handful of great singles, all of which were rearranged and rerecorded for the album. On this 7" are the original versions of "Twilight Story" and "The Castle," two essential, shimmering 60's pop gems worthy of repeated listens. More Saturday People material will be posted soon.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

A few days before they embarked on a west coast tour, Harm's Way came and played some new songs on my radio show. If you happen to catch them, they have tapes available for sale with these songs. For everyone else, here is an mp3. I can't wait until they record these properly for their upcoming 7" on Closed Casket Activities.